


The Fairy Gardener Remix

by prissygirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fairy Rumple, Fluff, Remix, Rumbelle - Freeform, The Fairy Gardener
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 15:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6760390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prissygirl/pseuds/prissygirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle is surprised to find a grumpy fairy by the name of Rumplestiltskin tending her garden. This is a remix of my original story The Fairy Gardener.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fairy Gardener Remix

**Author's Note:**

> iguessifinallygotone prompted: I think an actual remix of the fairy gardener verse, with Rumple as a pixie or a brownie, would be really cute!

 

The roses had grown back.

“It’s a miracle!” Belle gasped, clasping her hands together excitedly, a smile blossoming across her face.

After the long war against the ogres – a fight her people had narrowly just won – the countryside had become almost completely barren. Fields that had once been fertile had become bloodied battlegrounds while beautiful gardens were trampled into dust as hundreds of soldiers had battled against the fearsome monsters attacking their home.

Though Belle was grateful for the hard won victory against their foe, she couldn't help her grief over the bleak landscape that had once been the lush and green land of Avonlea.

At least, it _had_ been barren.

Her once vibrant garden, dead these many months, was suddenly full of life again. And not just a few plants here and there – the garden was absolutely brimming with colorful and fragrant flowers, many of which Belle had only ever seen in her books.

It was clearly magic, she knew. The question was _whose_?

A string of curse words caught her attention, and the princess made her way further into the garden in search of the voice.

There, hovering near a rose bush that had yet to bloom, was a small man with golden wings. His skin was the color of nature itself, though it faintly sparkled with golden flecks as the sunlight fell upon it.

“Damn rosebush! Don’t know why I bother with these thorny bastards.”

Belle bit back a laugh, stepping towards the figure and the rosebush. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.

The fairy spun towards her, his hands twitching nervously at his side.

“Hello there,” she said brightly. “Are you the one bringing my garden back from the dead?”

“So what if I am?”

“Well, I – ” Belle stammered to a stop, struggling to find the words the pixie seemed to have startled out of her. She hadn’t expected something so tiny to be so angry.

Clearing her throat, Belle tried again. 

“I merely wanted to express my gratitude.” She lowered herself to the ground slowly, so as not to startle him. Kneeling as she was now, her face was level with the fairy. “You’ve done wonders for my garden.”

The tiny man gave her a disdainful look. “It wasn’t easy. You’re a rather abysmal gardener, dearie. It was more wasteland than garden when I arrived.”

“Which is why I’m so appreciative,” Belle said, her smile now forced. She was trying very hard to be polite, but the creature was beginning to grate on her nerves.

His arms were crossed over his chest, his wings beating a defiant staccato through the air. Instead of accepting her thanks, he merely “harrumphed” in reply.

The two settled into an uncomfortable staring match for several moments, before Belle grew tired of the childish game.

“Look, I know you don’t seem to believe me, but I _am_ very grateful for everything you’ve done here.” She gestured around the garden, a true smile forming on her face again as she marveled at the beauty surrounding her. “I’d really missed it. Thank you.”

His attitude seemed to soften a bit and he gave her a begrudging nod in return.

Bolstered by this, she decided to push forward. “I’m Belle, by the way.”

For a moment, it looked like he wouldn’t respond. Eventually, he let out a mumbled “Rumplestiltskin”.

Belle blinked. “Rumple-shtiltskin?”

“Close enough,” he said with a sigh. He gave a tiny frustrated shake of his head and Belle noticed the wild curls that rested there for the first time.

He was unlike any fairy she'd ever read about – both in looks and attitude – and she couldn't help but be curious. A dozen questions leapt to her lips, but she held back, unsure if he would answer any of them.

From the way he was working his jaw back and forth, he seemed to be having trouble voicing his thoughts as well.  

Finally, she heard him clear his throat – a noise so quiet that he had to do it twice before she realized what he was doing.

“Now listen closely, princess. I put a lot of effort into this garden and I’d like it to not go to waste once I’m gone. First, you’ll need to – ”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Belle interrupted, the corners of her mouth turning into a frown. “But you’ve put so much work into this garden – surely you’d want to stay?”

She’d heard of fairy godmothers who left after granting a wish, but were fairy gardeners just as flighty?

He looked at her with wide eyes. “Y-you want me to stay?” The expression on his face was one of disbelief, as if the idea of anyone wanting him to stick around was completely foreign to him.

Belle felt the last of her anger evaporate, her heart going out to him. She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

“You brought this garden back to life when I thought it was past saving. As far as I’m concerned, you can stay – well, as long as you like!”

She had almost said forever, but had stopped herself just in time. After all, she thought, who promises forever at a first meeting?

“I would like that,” he said hesitantly. “I don’t really have…a _home_.”

It took all of Belle’s self-restraint not to find a way to gather the tiny creature up in an embrace.

“Well, you do now,” she said gently. “Welcome to Avonlea, Rumple.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to check out the original The Fairy Gardener which is an ongoing story. I'll also be posting more AUs from this verse in the coming weeks, including some super awkward smut. You can blame those dorks on tumblr for that ;)


End file.
